The　abnormal　Fe3+　level　is　known　to　cause　various　diseases,　such　as　heart　failure,　liver　damage　and　neurodegeneration.　In　situ　probing　Fe3+　in　living　cells　or　organisms　is　highly　desired　for　both　biological　research　and　medical　diagnostics.　Herein,　hybrid　nanocomposites　NaEuF4@TCPP　were　constructed　by　the　assembly　of　an　aggregation-induced　emission　luminogen　(AIEgen)　TCPP　and　NaEuF4　nanocrystals　(NCs).　The　anchored　TCPP　on　the　surface　of　NaEuF4　NCs　can　reduce　rotational　relaxation　of　the　excited　state　and　efficiently　transfer　the　energy　to　the　Eu3+　ions　with　minimized　nonradiative　energy　loss.　Consequently,　the　prepared　NaEuF4@TCPP　nanoparticles　(NPs)　exhibited　an　intense　red　emission　with　a　103-fold　enhancement　relative　to　that　in　NaEuF4　NCs　under　365　nm　excitation.　A　selectively　quenching　response　to　Fe3+　ions　for　the　NaEuF4@TCPP　NPs　makes　them　luminescent　probes　for　sensitive　detection　of　Fe3+　ions　with　a　low　detection　limit　of　340　nM.　Moreover,　the　luminescence　of　NaEuF4@TCPP　NPs　could　be　recovered　by　the　addition　of　iron　chelators.　Benefiting　from　their　good　biocompatibility　and　stability　in　living　cells,　together　with　the　characteristic　of　the　reversible　luminescence　response,　the　lipo-coated　NaEuF4@TCPP　probes　were　successfully　applied　for　real-time　monitoring　of　Fe3+　ions　in　living　HeLa　cells.　These　results　are　expected　to　motivate　the　exploration　of　AIE-based　lanthanide　probes　for　sensing　and　biomedical　applications.　©　2023　Elsevier　B.V.